Processing

http://www.processingblogs.org/

I've just order the Arudino board and downloaded the Ardunio environment so that I can begin to multi-task--that is, to set up my etching studio for the circuit board switches I'm working on and start to play with the Ardunio so that I'll be ready for our Montreal trip. If that's not ambitious enough, I've been reading Processing by Casey Reas and Ben Fry and have realized that Processing and Arduino environments are not interchangeable but rather complementary. The processing end is responsible for the visualizations (software drawings) while the Arduino is responsible for the physical inputs and outputs. For now my focus is on making the physical gears wind and grind. I hope once I work out these switches I'll be able to turn my pony into a few small bots inspired by puppet motion.